Staff

DinA castelluccio (Director)

Dina Castelluccio began her training in Connecticut at the Stratford Center for the Performing Arts. She went on to train at CT Dance Conservatory, Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway and Dance New Amsterdam, where she trained with top NYC teachers. Dina is co-founder and artistic director of a contemporary company, Clarity in Motion, which has presented Falling Awake and Glass Houses. Her work as also been seen on stage at the Shakespeare Festival, as well as the Joyce Theater in NYC. She directed the musical theater show Broadway Babes and has performed in Broadway in the Park. She was a member of Millennium Dance Company for a year and a half, under the direction of Devin Pulls at Perri Studios, NYC. Dina has judged at numerous cities for the dance competition, National Dance showcase as well as taught master classes at their national convention.
After living in New York City for 6 years as a professional dancer, she is now pursuing her career in Los Angeles. She teaches throughout the Los Angeles County area and continues to teach and choreograph throughout Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. Dina has won numerous choreography awards and her work as been asked to perform at The Battle of the Stars, Star Power National Talent Competition. Dina’s performing credits include, Fefe Dobson’s music video Boy Friend, “The View” for Hilary Duff and Nelly Furtatdo, as well as The International Dance Gala in NYC.

Karen Nerkowski (Director)

Karen Nerkowski began her dance training in Connecticut and earned her BFA in Dance Performance and Elementary Education at Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI. She has been teaching and producing award-winning choreography in the Tri-state area for 12 years. In addition to her teaching, Karen is co-director of the professional company CIM dance, which is based out of NYC/L.A.
Karen’s choreography has been presented at The Joyce Theater/Dancin’ Dowtown at the Joyce (NYC), Shakespeare Arts Festival (CT), Uptown Performance Series (NYC) and several showcases/evening length performances around NYC and CT including: Stratford Theatre (CT) and Bridge For Dance (NYC).
Karen’s philosophy stems from her love of dance and the belief that all students have the ability to become dancers given the right tools and instruction. Karen motivates her students with the promise that with hard work, repetition, an open mind and a sense of humor anything is possible!

taylor millbauer

(Director of The Academy of New England Ballet Company)
Taylor Millbauer began her journey into the world of dance at the age of seven transitioning her training to New England Ballet School at the age of nine. As a principal dancer with New England Ballet Company she has danced many roles including Juliet in Romeo & Juliet, Princess in Firebird, Red Riding Hood in The Adventures of Little Red Riding Hood. In New England Ballet Company’s annual production of The Nutcracker she has danced roles as Clara, Arabian Princess, Dew Drop Fairy & Sugar Plum Fairy.She has danced with many summer programs like, Burklyn Ballet Theater, where she danced in the Edinburg Festival in Scotland, Atlanta Ballet, Saratoga Ballet, Ballet Florida, Virginia Ballet, where she dance in Italy,and Walnut Hill School of the Arts . Taylor has an extensive career working with children including her own two daughters both following in her steps becoming dancers with the Academy of New England Ballet Company. She has served as an Asset Ambassador in the town of Stratford from 2016 to present day helping develop 40 Assets every child needs to become a successful adult in todays world. Mrs. Millbauer is also is a licensed Medical Assistant. Her passion for dance, her personality & her incredible energy for life inspires our staff, company dancers & dance students on a daily basis. Taylor returned to the role of Sugar Plum Fairy for the 27th Annual New England Ballet Company production of the Nutcracker in,2018. In her recent appointment as Executive Director she is excited to move NEBC and the Academy into its fourth decade of providing excellent ballet training and professional level ballet productions to our area communities.

Rae-Ann thomas

(Company Director)
Rae-Ann Thomas was raised in Massachusetts and began dancing at a young age. She is a graduate from Dean College receiving a Bachelorette of Arts degree in Dance and an Associates degree in Business. Directly after college she moved to New York; where she has lived for 5 years. Rae-Ann is teaching and setting choreography at various studios throughout the east coast. She judges for competitions all over the country and even internationally. While hustling in New York City Rae-Ann has gained knowledge about the dance industry through her consistent training in diverse styles. Rae-Ann has performed for choreographers such as Mike Esperanza, Teddy Tedholm, Bonnie O’Rourke, Ellie Sanna, Bryn Cohen, Chris Hale, Calen Kurka, Kristin Sudekis, Hannah Frederick, Rachel Hettinger, Sarah Richman and is a member of TedTed Performance Company, under the direction of Teddy Tedholm. Rae-Ann has presented work at showcases such as HATCH: presenting series, Pushing Progress, The Young Choreographers Festival, and Sans Limits Dance Series. Rae-Ann has also set work as an alumni for the Dean College Dance Department for many shows. Rae-Ann was apart of a winter residency at Salve Regina University teaching master classes as well as setting work for their spring concert. Rae-Ann has participated in the Gypsy Project LA a vigor improvisational base training program in Los Angeles in 2017. Rae-Ann was one of 23 dancers working along side rebounded named dancers and choreographer in the dance industry such as, Tilman O’Donnell, David Harvey, Medhi Walerski, Meg Lawson, Tom Weinberger, Lisette Bustamante, Jillian Meyers, Staci Flood-popp, and under the direction of Erica Sobol founder and creator of the Gypsy Project LA and Lobos art collective. Rae-Ann is a bright and optimistic person who brings positive energy into her work. Her taste for lightness, and comedic accents make her work relatable and unique. She hopes to inspire and motivate all humans with her distinct movement style.

maria cherniske

In addition to being a performer, Maria has taught dance to students of all ages for the past eighteen years. Following college, Maria continued her dance education at the Broadway Dance Center in New York where she is a guest instructor. She has trained closely under renowned teachers such as Rhapsody James, Luam Keflezgy, James Jackson Jr., Carlos Neto, Lisette Bustamante, Chonique Sneed and Dana Foglia.
Maria works with students of all ages and levels. She travels internationally to teach. In 2012 Maria was selected to be a mentor for the program Creating Opportunities (www.creatingopps.com) developed by world-renowned choreographers Lisette Bustamante and Chonique Sneed.
Maria holds a B.A. in Psychology and Masters in Reading Education. She also holds a Connecticut Teaching Certificate and is certified through Fitness, Gymnastics and Acro federations (listed below).
- AFAA Group Fitness Certified
- bodyART Certified Instructor
- Adult and Pediatric First Aid, CPR and AED certified
- ACRO levels 1-6 through USA Gymnastics
- USA Gymnastics Safety Certified - Artistic Gymnastics Coach
- State of Connecticut Certified Coach

kelly kaleta

Growing up in Easthampton, MA, Kelly Kaleta began her training at the Hackworth’s School of Performing Arts and started teaching while she was attending Boston University. Focusing in tap, she has taught up and down the east coast and Canada for almost 20 years, choreographing, judging, and performing in many different venues. She is a founding member of “Off Beat,” a company created and directed by her former student Ryan P. Casey, as well as starting her own company “CounterpoinT,” an all female group based out of Norwalk, CT. You can also see her and her choreography in the award-winning movie “Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench” directed by Damien Chazelle (La La Land). In 2006, she was a cast member of “Imagine Tap,” created and choreographed by Derick Grant and Aaron Tolson. She has been a faculty member and judge for Tap 2 You, Dance Masters of America, American Dance Awards, Tapademics and Kids for Kids. She has taught at Steps on Broadway, Broadway Dance Center, and Peridance in NYC. Other past performances include the Cape Dance Fest, Inside Out at Jacob’s Pillow, NYC Tap Festival, Break the Floor, Clara’s Dream: A Jazz Tap Nutcracker - performing with Drika Overton, Josh Hilberman, and Brenda Buffalino, Tapestry - produced by Dance Inn Productions, and others. Her own annual event, Tap it Up, is a one day workshop held every October in Stratford, CT. Believing that you never stop being a student, she continues to take classes and workshops to improve both her dancing and her teaching.

Dylan pearce

Dylan Pearce is a freelance teacher, choreographer, and performer from New York City. He began dancing at the age of 5 going on to study extensively at the Joffrey Ballet School in NYC on scholarship along with Broadway Dance center, Steps, and The Ailey School. Dylan is an Assistant Choreographer for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and before that spent 7 seasons performing in the Christmas Spectacular. He also performed in the Radio City Spring Spectacular along side Derek Hough and Laura Benanti. He has choreographed for the Samsung Group, Radio City Rockettes, Americas Got Talent, Brenda K. Starr, Amy Lynn and The Gun Show, and all over the United States for studios and Universities. He’s performed in televised and staged productions including Off Broadway in Shea Sullivan’s ‘Dancing on a Dream’, WNBA All-Star Halftime Show, Miss New Jersey, Miss New York and The Miss Florida pageants, The Michael Awards, Trump Signature Events, Equity Fights AIDS, Knicks City Dancers, Jazz Dance America’s Tri-State Youth Invitational, Ray-Ban and Rite Aid industrials, and the International Dance Festival in NYC. Dylan toured with Recording Artists Brenda K. Starr, and Tina Ann, and was a dancer in the modern company, Momix. He was also dance captain for Walt Disney World’s “Twas The Night Before Christmas” and toured the world performing and setting shows for Princess and Norwegian Cruise Lines. Dylan is a highly sought after Master Teacher and Choreographer. His distinctive style sets his choreography apart and gives his dancers a cutting edge above the competition.

amanda delise

Amanda Delise started her dance training when she was three years old at Lorraine Judd Dance Studio in Seymour, Connecticut. She studied ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary . She was honored to tap with Savion Glover through dance conventions in Boston and LA. Through this studio, Amanda also traveled and competed with Rythmic Gymnastics qualifying for the 1996 summer olympics, coming in at number 11 in the world. She graduated from University of Hartford, where she studied the art of ballet. During her time at UNH, she also studied kinseology, which helped her understand how the body functions in motion. Amanda has been teaching in the children’s division at Connecticut Dance Conservatory for five years. She continues to love and grow from the art of dance through her tiny dancers.

raymund lagdamen

Born and raised in Iloilo City, Philippines. Raymund migrated in United States in 2008. Along with his athleticism by playing sports, he received a full scholarship to train at Performing Arts Center of Connecticut. He was trained in Ballet, Tap, modern and jazz but he fell in love with Hip Hop and the commercial dance scene. Raymund owes his training from Jared Jenkins, Manwe Sauls Addison, and Nikole Lachioma. During high school, he had the privilege to work and go on tour with world renown pop artist Kat DeLuna. He also performed as a dancer for a concert hosted by Maybach Music Group (Rick Ross, Meek Mills, Fabolous). As Raymund slowly transitioned into training in New York City in places such as Broadway Dance Center, EXPG and Peridance Capezio Center, he has been blessed with many opportunities. He has been hired as a dancer for one of the biggest Korean boyband in the world BTS, Video Music Awards with Travis Scott, MTV TRL with DJ Khalid, OATH takeover with Jamie Foxx and many more. Raymund is also no stranger to modeling and acting, he has worked with big companies such as Bloomingdales for their campaign and Nickelodeon commercials.
Raymund’s greatest asset, is having a vision in creating. He started with creating a dance team in high school and college where they performed all over the east coast. He also helped in organizing and creating a dance convention in Connecticut. Right now he is managing multiple dance companies in different studios in Connecticut.
Currently Raymund is a registered licensed nurse but chose dance full time because of his passion and the happiness it brings him. He also loves teaching young dancers and seeing their growth not just in dance but as an individual. He hopes to inspire his students to not just be better dancers but also better people.

kellyann lennon

Kellyann Lennon is a New York based dancer, originally from Brookfield, Connecticut. She graduated from Pace University’s highly acclaimed Commercial Dance BFA program. Performance credits include works by Jerome Robbins, Dee Caspary (of SYTYCD), Ginger Cox, Nick Kenkel, and Al Blackstone on stages including The Joyce Theatre, Alvin Ailey, and The Schimmel Center at Pace University. Kellyann often subs classes at New York City’s Peridance Capezio Center and Gibney Dance Center. Her film credits include the award-winning, The Marvelous Mrs. Maiesel (Amazon Exclusive). Before making the move to the big apple, Kellyann was a member of the Pre Professional Company, “The Connecticut Movement Project,” under the direction of Dina Castellucio and Karen Nerkowski. Kellyann has also had the opportunity to perform with New York Stage’s Orginal, “Tap Kids!” She has been hand selected to work side by side with Emmy award winning choreographer/producer, Mandy Moore, on the set of Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” as a choreographer intern, through the Television Academy Foundation. (2019 Fall)

sidney choothesa

Sidney Choothesa was born and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She is currently an undergraduate student at Sacred Heart University where she studies Media Arts with a Dance Minor and is part of the Sacred Heart University Dance Company. Through Sacred Heart's Dance Program Sidney was able to choreograph pieces, train under professionals, and train with companies in residency. She was also able to travel to Italy to dance with World Dance Movement, where she got to blend her passions for travel and dance together. Sidney has trained with Connecticut Dance Conservatory for fifteen years and has had many performance opportunities through her time training with CDC. She has also performed with Matthew Westerby's Company as an apprentice for his "Harlem Project" and had numerous performances with the Dance Company at Sacred Heart. Besides her dance experience, Sidney has been casted in two musicals at Sacred Heart University which were, "In the Heights" and "Hair". Sidney loves to work with children in the classroom setting and also set choreography.